The Most Influential Technologies Round 4: Consumer Electronics

These five gadgets all changed the industry as we know it, but there can only be one winner.

Some lists pick themselves. Then there's the list of the most influential technology. After a good amount of debate around the PCMag offices, we've opted to let you, the reader, help us choose the winners. We've split our coverage up into five categories—desktops and laptops, software, cell phones, consumer electronics, and gaming.

Each round, we're offering up five products that we believe have had a profound impact on the industry as we know it. When we say "profound impact," we don't necessarily mean that they were the first (though in many cases they were). In some cases, the product is the first in its class to really capture the imagination of the development community or the public at large.

This round is arguably the broadest of the five, encompassing a huge cross section of our coverage—though we did opt to give cell phones their own category. We've chosen a candidate from each of the cornerstones of our consumer electronics and peripherals coverage: printers, digital cameras, music players, television, and tablets. As always, we invite you to comment below, if you feel that we've made any glaring omissions.

Here's round four: Consumer Electronics. Each slide features an image of the product and an explanation about why it was so important and influential. The poll is on the final page.

Automatic Renewal Program: Your subscription will continue without interruption for as long as you wish, unless
you instruct us otherwise. Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of the term unless you authorize
cancellation. Each year, you'll receive a notice and you authorize that your credit/debit card will be charged the
annual subscription rate(s). You may cancel at any time during your subscription and receive a full refund on all
unsent issues. If your credit/debit card or other billing method can not be charged, we will bill you directly instead. Contact Customer Service

//our current issue

Select Term:

24 issues for $29.99 ONLY $1.25 an issue! Lock in Your Savings!

12 issues for $19.99ONLY $1.67 an issue!

State

Country

This transaction is secure

Automatic Renewal Program: Your subscription will continue without interruption for as long as you wish, unless
you instruct us otherwise. Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of the term unless you authorize
cancellation. Each year, you'll receive a notice and you authorize that your credit/debit card will be charged the
annual subscription rate(s). You may cancel at any time during your subscription and receive a full refund on all
unsent issues. If your credit/debit card or other billing method can not be charged, we will bill you directly instead. Contact Customer Service